The hood on an automobile typically has an inner panel and an outer panel. The inner panel is a structural member formed with ribs or channels to increase the strength of the hood. In accordance with this invention, the inner panel is held tight against the outer panel to cooperate with the channels in forming ducts, and these ducts serve as air passages for transmitting air introduced at the front of the vehicle and expelling the air into the engine compartment over a particular component that needs extra cooling. Thus, the channels not only strengthen the inner panel but have the added function of forming ducts enabling ram air cooling of a desired vehicle component.
Preferably, an air inlet is in a forward portion of a duct. The duct extends rearwardly to a point adjacent to a component to be cooled. Air entering the duct travels rearwardly to an air outlet from which it is discharged. The air flows naturally through the duct during forward motion of the vehicle. Additional ducts, air inlets and outlets may be employed, especially when cooling of more than one component is desired. The air inlets and outlets are formed in the inner panel and therefore are not normally visible.
There is a sealing strip which extends transversely across the inner surface of the inner panel of the hood and engages the radiator of the vehicle rearwardly of the air inlet. The sealing strip ensures that air entering the front of the vehicle will enter the air inlet without by-passing it. Air outlets rearwardly of the sealing strip are located over the components to be cooled. The air outlets may have nozzles, if desired, to direct the air against the components. At the end of a duct beyond an air outlet there may be a blocker to close off the duct and ensure that the air in the duct exits where desired through the air outlet and is not dissipated. There may be lateral ducts which lead to other components. There may also be lateral ducts which do not lead to a component needing cooling, and these should be blocked off.
This invention solves the problem of providing ram air cooling of underhood components without the need of adding a separate dedicated cooling duct. Thus additional parts are unnecessary. In addition to the obvious advantage of parts reduction, there are the benefits of warranty reduction, cost reduction, labor reduction and weight reduction. Moreover, providing a cooling duct within the existing hood structure does not occupy any underhood space as would be required by a dedicated cooling duct, thus simplifying underhood packaging and design.
One object of this invention is to provide a hood with an integrated cooling duct having the foregoing features and capabilities.
Another object is to provide a hood with an integrated cooling duct which is of relatively simple construction and design, requires few if any additional parts, and is easy to manufacture and assemble.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds, especially when taken with the accompanying drawings.